Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (Missoula) has launched their Stream Access Now campaign – see all the details on the landing page here.
You have to like what they’ve scribed on their ‘What’s at Stake’ page –
At Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, we believe the right to access flowing water shouldn’t be determined by the size of your bank account or the deed you hold to a piece of trophy land. After all, the fish that live in America’s rivers and streams belongs to all of us – and in most states, the water does too.
But the laws that govern stream access vary widely from state to state, and not everyone has equal rights to access rivers and streams and the wildlife that call them home.
Here in MT, our Stream Access Law guarantees citizens the freedom to wade any navigable streambed and walk any shore, no matter who owns the surrounding land, as long as they stay below the ordinary high water mark. Many states throughout the country enjoy the same freedoms.
Wyoming might be close to MT on the map, but they’re a world apart when it comes to stream access. In Wyoming, you can’t set foot on the streambed if you’re floating through private land, and walking the banks could result in a heavy fine. If you so much as drop anchor – you’re trespassing.
That’s because the streambed belongs to the landowner in Wyoming, as it does in Colroado, Utah and New Mexico – and unless that landowner is the U.S. Government or the state, the law says you have to stay in the boat….
…As anglers and hunters, we believe that rivers and streams are as vital to our health and happiness as the air we breathe. That is why we’ve launched a campaign – Stream Access Now – to create awareness about existing stream access laws, fight proposals that aim to limit stream access, and work proactively to expand stream access opportunities.
Read all about and sign their Stream Access Pledge here – we’re in.
Kudos to sponsors Costa, Fishpond, Redington, Sage, Yeti and Rep Your Water as well.
